The invention relates to a method for the contact-analogue display of a navigation instruction concerning a driving maneuver, particularly a lane change, of a vehicle, as well as to a correspondingly equipped device.
Navigation systems for vehicles are currently widespread. By use of navigation systems, information concerning the next driving maneuver (or driving maneuvers) can be provided to the driver of the vehicle during his drive as a function of the route. These instructions may be offered to the driver in a contact-analogue manner (also called “augmented reality”). Monitors, LCD displays, head-up displays or head-mounted displays are generally suitable for this purpose. A projection of the instructions onto the road is also contemplated.
Nowadays, instructions concerning a lane change are indicated in a contact-analogue display by lines that lead to the navigation destination and indicate the path to be driven on the road, or by individual arrows that are situated on the road and fixedly mark the point of the maneuver to be driven at that location.
It is a disadvantage of this manner of displaying the instruction when the driving maneuver can actually be carried out not only at the indicated location but over a cohesive driving route, which is sometimes also called a radius of action. In this case, the cohesive driving route or radius of action includes a longer route or a larger area than typically specified, for example, for turn-off operations due to road construction and road markings. This is, for example, a driving route that is generally viewed by drivers as suitable for providing them with choices as to when the maneuver should be carried out. As a result of a fixed marking of a location, the driver may feel pressured to have to carry out the maneuver precisely at this location, possibly also driven by the fact that otherwise he no longer sees the navigation instruction because it is no longer displayed. This may have the result that the driver does not act in keeping with traffic regulations and does not take the time that would be necessary for carrying out a safe driving maneuver, for example, he may not look over his shoulder before a lane change.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a navigation instruction which eliminates the above-mentioned disadvantages for a driving maneuver that can be carried out in more than one location.
This and other objects are achieved by a method, and correspondingly equipped device, for the contact-analogue display of a navigation instruction concerning a driving maneuver, particularly a lane change, of a vehicle, wherein the driving maneuver can be carried out at any point along a cohesive driving route of a road. The method includes the steps of: contact-analogue stationary displaying of the instruction at the beginning of the driving route for a first distance traveled by the vehicle; adapting the contact-analogue display of the instruction to the change of position of the vehicle, so that the instruction changes its position corresponding to the change of position of the vehicle, for a second distance traveled by the vehicle; and contact-analogue stationary displaying of the instruction at the end of the driving route, for a third distance traveled by the vehicle.
In this manner, the instruction is displayed to the driver in the position from which the driving maneuver is possible, and the driver recognizes that the maneuver can be carried out starting from there. The instruction is situated in this position in a stationary, therefore fixed manner, and is used as a preliminary indication of the driving maneuver. In the following, this instruction will then be adapted to the changed position of the vehicle. In particular, the instruction is postponed when the vehicle is approaching the position of the first stationary instruction. The driver therefore particularly has the impression that the instructions are pushed along in front of the vehicle in order to constantly point out the maneuver. Finally, at the end of the driving route, the instruction is again displayed in a stationary manner, which makes clear to the driver that he should have carried out the driving maneuver by then.
The driver is therefore not pressured to carry out the driving maneuver at a specified location, if the driving maneuver can be carried out at several points of a driving route. This allows safe road behavior.
Navigation instructions may be arrows or objects. As a result of the adaptation of the contact-analogue display, the instruction is advantageously displayed such that it appears to be at a constant distance in front of the vehicle. In this manner, the driver is, on the one hand, not urged to carry out the driving maneuver but, on the other hand, the necessity of a maneuver is clearly illustrated.
In a variant, the instruction is displayed when adapting the contact-analogue display along the road. Furthermore, the instruction may appear to the driver above the road of the driving route.
In a preferred further development, the stationary displaying of the instruction at the end of the route comprises an animated displaying of the instruction which, in particular, points out the last possibility of carrying out the driving maneuver. An end of the possibility of carrying out the driving maneuver is therefore clearly indicated to the driver. The animation may have the purpose of making it easier for the driver to differentiate between the instruction and the adaptation of the instruction as a result of the change of position of the vehicle.
The first, second and third traveling distance may be spatially arranged such that they can be traveled by the vehicle in this sequence. In other words, the first, second and third traveling distance are successively arranged for the driver. In this case, the arrangement is such that the first traveling distance is arranged before the cohesive driving route, the second traveling distance starts before the cohesive driving route and overlaps with the latter or ends before the latter, and/or the third traveling distance starts within the cohesive driving route and ends with the latter. It thereby becomes possible to prewarn the driver sufficiently early before he passes the start or the end of the driving route.
In combination with the driver assistance system, an optimal point-in-time for the lane change can additionally be indicated, for example, by an animation of the navigation instruction.
A device is disclosed which includes a navigation system and a display for contact-analogue displaying. The device is equipped for implementing the above-described method.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.